Ralph Ellison Photographer

 This is such a fascinating photography in my opinion.  It is the lead photographic image in the recent New York Times  " How Ralph Ellison's World Became Visible" published article.  

"Before he became a writer, Ralph Ellison was an emerging photographer. Rarely-seen documentary images, gather in a forthcoming book, reveal his lifelong engagement with the camera.

Ralph Ellison: Photographer" https://steidl.de/Books/Photographer-0319354858.html, a collaboration of the Gordon Parks Foundation and  by the reviewer Arthur Lubow, is to equate the writing of the Invisible Man to possible parallels of photographs taken by Ellison when he dabble in photography & writing. And finally with writing emerging has his overall strength.

The photograph "Untitled"( New York City), a photograph of men on a Harlem street corner in the 1940s by Ralph Ellison.

Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison were good friends, Parks, who was far more experienced, acted as Ellison's photography entire, just as Ellison guided him in writing.  

The composition of the image is layered with distinction. The angular tonal background of highlight windows gives spacial relief that is mirrored in tone with the foreground of  men cluster in random harmony with their individual fedora hats reminiscent of the 1940s. More articulating is the visual tension expressed in the facial expressions of 2 the opposing central figures, one black the other white. What could have been said to cause a sneered reaction of how dare you gesture don't take me lightly.....with the opposing profiles of the left figure  with his dangling cigar as compared to the 2 background men who lend an air of backup support. That the black & white renders the image timeless  articulation the image has a air of Don't take my words for granted as underlined by leaning in of one figure as the other figure absorbs the words spoken with caution recoils ever so slightly. This is an amazing image with multiple questions unanswered.

Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day

http://www.pinholeday.org/

50mm Digital Street: The Urge to Create

50mm Digital Street: The Urge to Create

The Urge to Create

I do not consider myself a landscape photographer however I have come to realize that much of my inspiration comes from my visual surroundings, the views & vistas around me ; something I was not aware of & has only become apparent since relocating to the Midwest.
The time gap between my last posting is one indication of my lack of urge to create.

The landscape photographer Robert Adams states that "landscape pictures can offer us 3 verities - geography, autobiography & metaphor. Taken separately geography is sometimes boring, autobiography is frequently trivial& metaphor can be dubious . Yet together they strengthen one another & work to keep intact - an affection for life."

Longing, , ,

Is it an american myth to be "on the road", where the air is a distilled blue , the vista's endless with cumulus hope and a sweet longing for the visual streets of  youth. Where nothing matters and everything is possible.  A thirst for happiness is the next exit.

Cindy Sherman - Zietgist or Chameleon

The retrospective of photographer Cindy Sherman currently on view at the Museum  of Modern Art in New York City, through 11 June is not to be  missed.  It is packed densely with works from a very prolific artist that has kept busy at breathe taking speed for the past 35 years.

It is an intimate and wildly provocative show of urgency and provocation.  Armed with costumes, wigs, make - up technique, accessories, props,  masks and prosthetic body parts,  Sherman attacks every possible lexicon of the female stereotypes as housewife, sex kitten, girl Friday Admin', tourist and society Madame.  Consequently, she has conventional control with fashion, art history, centerfolds, pornography, portraiture, fairy tales, horror movie and comedy.

The show consist of five galleries series. It has been a fact that Cindy Sherman worked alone in her studio and that she appears in nearly all her works, which has proven very popular with collectors, there was a period 1908 - the 90"s that she  removed her from center and replaced herself with mask, ooze, prosthetic body parts, dummies. Many are dark and arresting.

Amongst my favorites are the colorful clowns, 2002 - 2004, complete with abstract backgrounds and digital alterations.  Conversely, the historical portraits are my least  of interest, commercially very popular.

The show is a great opportunity to see what it takes to be an important gifted artist.

Happiness , , ,

 

Jacque Henri Lartigue , June 13, 1894 - September 12, 1986, the celebrated French photographer was something of a prodigy at age 7, which is when he began to photograph his own life, consisting of family, friends and activities within it.

As a child he was consumed by motion and movement. Many of the  subjects he photographed were of play - running, jumping, wheeled soap box racing, kite gliders and early aeroplanes flights. He also photographed auto racing.

His only publication "Diary of A Century, edited by Richard Avedon,  contain images of gaiety and a certain joie de vivre, as perhaps only the French can.  One would assume that he was a rather happy and engaging person.

Below are his thoughts on happiness cira 1900 ;

"Happiness is not an elusive bird, perched high near the ceiling, which, with the help of more or less complicated ladders, you have to work top catch.

Happiness is an element, which like air, is everywhere. . .

Provided you don't run after it too hard and too long, you'll find it's right there, within reach, all the time . . . . waiting for you to take it."